The Male Lead Has Gone Mad Over the Troublesome Villainess - Chapter 57

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Male Lead Has Gone Mad for the Villainess Episode 57
I recovered safely under everyone’s care. The Healer even remarked that the speed of my wound’s healing was nothing short of miraculous.
Truth be told, it would’ve been strange if I hadn’t recovered.
‘This medicinal herb is good for the body. I asked the Healer and dug it up. You absolutely must eat it.’
‘Vanessa… at least brush off some of the dirt…’
‘Chew it root and all, quickly!’
It wasn’t just Vanessa. The children, including Lilia, along with the knights and noble ladies who’d trained with us, even Seraphine and Millers—everyone came by whenever they had a moment, bearing herbs supposedly good for the bones.
Chewing through them root and all every single day, there was no way I wouldn’t recover. They could resurrect a dying ox with this regimen.
Besides, the Expedition’s Healer seemed weak with minor ailments, but quite competent when it came to trauma like this.
Not just me—Hald was recovering smoothly too, and I heard Kael had already had his stitches removed.
Vanessa found me clothes to replace the dress that had become rags.
Today was finally the day we’d venture beyond Gloria to the tunnel where the black market opened—following the route Hald had shown us before.
Only Kael, myself, Millers, and Seraphine were planned to go along.
Before heading to the black market, I stopped by to see Hald.
Hald lay in a small room beside the warehouse. His splinted leg was wrapped tightly in cloth, so at first glance it looked like he was carrying a log.
With stubble darkening his jaw after these past few days, Hald spoke to me in a tone tinged with regret.
“You’re leaving for the black market without me, then?”
The swagger-prone thug he’d been, always bristling whenever he saw me, seemed to have vanished.
“Focus on recovery first. You’re hardly fit to follow anyone in that state. I came because I wanted you to warn me if there’s anyone I should be careful of.”
Hald’s tone had grown gentler.
“…There are no good people in that world.”
“I know. But among bad people, some are worse than others, right? So if you had to pick the most dangerous one?”
Hald’s brow furrowed in thought. Then he spoke.
“That’s an easy question. Karad is the most dangerous. So if possible, it’s best to keep him as an ally. And conduct your dealings through whoever invited you. He enjoys the fact that the entire black market turns in the palm of his hand. Cross him, and you’ve made yourself a very troublesome enemy.”
Karad, then. That figured.
“In any case, be careful. If your life is worth anything to you.”
Hald spoke candidly. The swagger-prone thug had come back from the brink of death and seemed to have become an actual person. Congratulations on your reformation, you bastard.
* * *
Hald watched the departing noblewoman’s back as she waved her hand. In the past, he had chosen to dismiss the weak in order to inflate his own presence—padding his frame with falsehood. But such things had proven useless. Rosana had proven her worth through her own strength.
Rosana’s martial skill was among the finest in the Expedition, and Hald had seen it himself.
In the moment he’d thought he would surely die, Rosana had saved him.
The hand extended to him as he lay collapsed and weeping shamefully. And that face, wearing the hint of a wry smile—how could he ever forget it?
‘What are you doing? Take my hand. Are you going to die here?’
Hald believed that day his soul had been redeemed. All those days lived in cowardice, surviving through that very cowardice. Standing before Rosana, he felt a measure of shame at what he was.
So Hald had resolved to live as a new person—one who would not shame the woman who had saved him.
* * *
We arrived at the black market tunnel as the sun began to set.
The gatekeeper recognized us. He raised an eyebrow and without a word, gestured us toward the passage. The scenery was the same, but the way people looked at us had changed.
“Milady, it seems they know of us.”
“Indeed they do.”
People standing before the stalls fell silent as we passed, then resumed their conversations once we’d gone by. We continued past them toward Karad.
Karad remained seated in his place—beneath the twin lanterns. He greeted us with a bright smile.
“My goodness, I hear you succeeded! You stole the Key to the Sanctuary from him!”
Only then did I understand why the back of my head had been prickling this whole time.
“In this tunnel today, only the deaf wouldn’t know!”
Karad leaned toward the lantern, rubbing his hands together.
“In this city, do you know how many people have made it to that door in the past year and come back?”
Karad lifted his hand and traced the spot where his left ear had once been. For a long time. Then, with a satisfied expression, he asked:
“What brings you here today? I imagine you’re preparing to enter the Sanctuary.”
“I’m looking to hire mercenaries to go in with us.”
At my words, Karad’s eyebrows twitched. His eyes gleamed with excitement. Now that I thought about it, Karad had once tried to enter there himself and failed.
“You need people to bring into the Sanctuary?”
“Yes. But not too many.”
Just enough to handle any unforeseen circumstances within our capacity to manage.
The number of people we’d arranged to accompany us this time was around ten. If we had to account for the possibility of needing to subdue them, a similar number would be appropriate.
“Could you procure around ten?”
“That’s no difficulty. Just tell me the date, time, and location. I’ll select suitable candidates and send them there.”
Karad twisted his mouth into a smile, his teeth gleaming white. He rubbed his hands together eagerly as he spoke.
“I was curious about what’s inside, and thanks to you, my question will be answered. I won’t charge for this commission.”
A fence’s good will always had something rotten about it. Karad was smiling far too magnanimously.
What was he really up to? The most dangerous one—that’s what came to mind about Karad. For some reason… it felt like he was hiding something.
I wanted to probe a little.
“An information broker who doesn’t take payment? Is there something else you’re after from us?”
Karad’s eyes widened. He burst into laughter and waved his hand dismissively.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth! I conduct business on trust. My payment is entry into that place. The reason I remain in Greystone is because of the Sanctuary.”
Karad spoke smoothly. But I couldn’t trust all of what he said.
I ran my tongue across the inside of my mouth. It seemed I’d need to stay vigilant throughout this.
“I see. There’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Please do.”
“Do you know how to deal with the Ogres and Trolls? I heard they’re stationed in front of them.”
“Ah.”
Karad shook his head as if regretfully.
“The best we managed was fleeing and evading them. So we never developed any real strategy for defeating them.”
“I see. If you knew of someone who could help, I’d want them to join us on this expedition.”
“Unfortunately, that will be difficult to find. Everyone who stood against them is dead.”
Karad added grimly. I clicked my tongue briefly and stood up. So all we’d gained was a mercenary.
When my eyes met Kael’s, he gave a short nod. That was enough. We purchased the necessary supplies and left the black market.
* * *
Karad watched Kael’s party disappear, smiling as if amused.
The Crown Prince of the Empire coming all this way was interesting enough in itself. But what was truly fascinating was that the woman at his side had been the one steering the negotiations.
The Crown Prince had let the woman lead the conversation without any real interference.
‘He trusts her quite a bit.’
She didn’t seem to be merely a noble lady he kept around. At the very least, she was trusted enough that the Crown Prince would cede his negotiating authority before her.
Karad twisted his mouth into a smile. Then he called his most trusted subordinate.
“Once we enter the Sanctuary, deal with the woman first. There must be a reason the Crown Prince trusts her so much. It’s better to eliminate her before she becomes a problem.”
“Yes, Karad.”
Karad laughed coldly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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